Los Angeles -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 24-year-old man was charged Monday with arson in connection with a rash of car and building fires across the Los Angeles area , authorities said .

Harry Burkhart was charged with one count of arson of an inhabited dwelling and will likely face additional charges as the investigation moves forward , said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa .

Arson investigators counted 52 fires , most starting in parked cars , since Friday morning , but none since the man was was detained at 3 a.m. Monday , according to officials .

Burkhart is currently being held without bail .

`` These were serious and potentially deadly crimes that needlessly endangered thousands of innocent lives , '' Villaraigosa told reporters . `` These crimes will not be tolerated . ''

Burkhart is believed to a foreign national from Germany , according to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck .

Authorities hope , and believe one arsonist acted alone , but will behave as though he did not until they know for sure , Beck said .

Burkhart 's arrest came when a sheriff 's deputy stopped a van near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in Hollywood early Monday , said Los Angeles Fire Capt. Jaime Moore . The van matched the description of a vehicle believed related to some of the suspicious fires and the driver resembled a man seen in a surveillance video near the scene of one fire , he said .

The video showed a man who appears to be in his late 20s to mid-30s , with a ponytail , dark hair and a receding hairline .

No one was killed or seriously injured in the fires , though one firefighter and one civilian sustained minor injuries , said Los Angeles City Fire Chief Brian Cummings . Both he and the mayor estimated the fires caused some $ 3 million in damages .

Among the homes damaged was one that was once occupied by the Doors frontman Jim Morrison .

Eleven of the fires took place overnight , in the very early hours of Monday : nine within the city of Los Angeles and two in West Hollywood , fire department spokesman Cecco Secci said .

Cars were set on fire in Hollywood and Van Nuys , Moore said .

Los Angeles has not seen such a rash of fires since the city 's riots in 1992 .

CNN 's Irving Last , Josh Levs , Drew Griffin , Stan Wilson and Casey Wian contributed to this report .

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Authorities believe the suspect is a foreign national from Germany

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Harry Burkhart , 24 , was charged with one count of arson of an inhabited dwelling

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He will likely face more charges as the investigation continues , the mayor says

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The fires caused some $ 3 million in damages